Luck of the Irish
by xthefirestillburns
Summary: A little Sheamus-centric contest/fic challenge for all you writers out there who are interested in bringing a little more of the Irish to the wrestling archive. Details inside. Contest closed, results are in.
1. Contest Rules

Okay, so the wrestling archive just hasn't been as interesting as it could be the last few several years or so; because of this, I decided on creating a writing contest for anyone who's interested. The catch: one of the two of your main characters has to be Sheamus. Below are a list of prompts that you can choose to create a one-shot:

Prompt 1: Character A finds out they can no longer wrestle, which brings them to turn to Character B for comfort.

Prompt 2: Character A deals with the struggles of balancing two relationships; one that consists of casual sex with Character B and the other that happens to be a more serious relationship with their current partner.

Prompt 3: A summer romance starts between Characters A and B, but eventually comes to an end when both have to say goodbye to one another.

Prompt 4: A plot of your choosing, but you must include the words, "silly soda", "jaybird", "shoe-in", "backbiter", and "meander". Words must be highlighted in bold.

Below is a little snippet/example of the first prompt just so this entry doesn't get reported for chattiness, lists, etc:

_"Stephen could feel the fresh tears brim his lashes. No, circumstances such as this wasn't supposed to happen to him; he was different...Or so he thought. He was used to retirements in the company, seeing as that guys came and left. Some returned, others never came back, but the fact of the matter is most of the one's who did finally hang up their boots retired on their own terms from what he'd seen over the years. This wasn't the case for him..._"

Rules:

1. No slash.

2. No more than two main characters. One of the two must be Sheamus, as stated above. The fic can be AU (Alternate Universe).

3. No M-rated fics. I know some of you guys do enjoy writing smut, but this particular contest is not for that.

4. If you want to enter this contest, please PM me so others can be on the look out for your one-shot. I greatly encourage everyone in the contest to read and at least review each other's work. One of the reasons for creating this contest/challenge is to not only shake up this archive, but to allow others to take a look a look at your work, also.

5. Using stories you had before to submit into the contest is an automatic disqualification. Everyone must be able to write at least one story.

6. Story must be 1,000+ words. You at least want to have a lengthy tale. :)

7. Please have all one-shots uploaded by **August 8**. This gives you guys a bit of time to get your creative juices flowing. After uploading your one-shot, I will enter it under this story. If you do not want your story uploaded here for voting then I really advise you not enter the contest, because this is what I will eventually have to do in order to determine a winner anyway.

Optional, but suggested:

Please try for different pairings, guys. I'm not saying you cannot write Sheamus/Kaitlyn, but it would be awesome to get some different pairings other than the usual.

Other details:

Names of those who have entered the contest will be posted on my profile, so please check back frequently so you can make sure to read the writer's story. I'm honestly not forcing anyone to review, but it would be beneficial for everyone involved to.

Please make sure to alert this; how will you know about any updates if the story doesn't have an alert?

The story will be judged in these areas:

Creativity - How well can you work with the prompt you've chosen.

Writing Quality - You do not have to be the best writer in the bunch to win, but quality writing is one of the factors in choosing a winner.

Character - Personality and depth to a character is everything, especially when you have just one chance to make them work in the form of a one-shot.

After all judging is complete, the winner will be decided. Whoever wins receives a wrestling one-shot from me, which includes whichever pairing of their choosing. At the end of the day, this contest is simply for other writers to be noticed as well as to bring some fun into the Sheamus archive. Happy writing, guys!


	2. Between Two Lungs

**_Author: dashinginconverse  
_**

**_Summary: There were always obvious truths to the world. For example - the sky was blue, her hair was blonde, and the Celtic Warrior was endlessly fascinating. Though, Summer Rae found the last one becoming more and more problematic as time went on. SheamusSummer, written for xthefirestillburns' Luck of the Irish contest, oneshot_**

**_Prompt 2: Character A deals with the struggles of balancing two relationships; one that consists of casual sex with Character B and the other that happens to be a more serious relationship with their current partner._**

* * *

**Between Two Lungs**

* * *

Sheamus was an enigma.

Even as new to the WWE as she was, Summer Rae was as aware of this fact as she was of anything else - the sky was blue, her hair was blonde, and the Celtic Warrior was endlessly fascinating.

She figured that was why he was such a problem.

There was a lot to be said, about the way he carried himself and the way he always joked and his smile and his laugh and his general sense of being. All that needed to be said was completely and utterly positive.

And that was what made this so much harder for her to deal with.

She stood next to the ring cheering on Fandango - she still had trouble not calling him Johnny at ringside - as he took on the Irishman himself, these thoughts racing through her head without any direction. Meaningless, frivolous...or, that was what she tried to tell herself.

However, that did not last when - seemingly out of no where - Sheamus turned directly towards her and sent her a wink that left her insides feeling like they were made of glass.

* * *

He always kissed her as if she were something that could easily break. Fragile, something that should be protected and adored and placed on a shelf out of anyone and everyone's reach.

Johnny was like that, she supposed. All grace and sweeping gestures, kind words and soft touches. She never thought that a guy being too gentle would be an issue for her, but she didn't say anything. She never said anything about that kind of thing. Didn't really know how to ask for him to be less tame with her when many other women would kill for that kind of treatment.

Maybe that was how Summer got into such a mess.

* * *

Sometimes it stunned her that the little moments could mean the most, as evidenced by the surfacing of this memory while she was busy brushing her hair, having caught sight of the little sparkling dress hanging in her locker as she did so.

She had been alone in the corner, nursing her bottled water. Johnny had been away, getting some refreshments for the two of them, when Sheamus approached her.

"You're so much more than a dancer," he commented idly.

Summer had stiffened, looking at him with a raised brow and a sense of confusion settling over her. She said nothing, only nodded her head for him to continue.

Sheamus shrugged good-naturedly. "I've seen your matches, the earlier ones...you have a passion for this. It's good to see."

He had then turned, leaving her standing there with an astonished gaze on her face and a growing blush on her cheeks.

Looking back on it, she believed that this moment was one of many that caused the chain reaction of what was to come.

* * *

"You're leaving?"

The question almost caused her to jolt from her position on the edge of his bed. She was in the middle of slipping her jeans on when he spoke, and Summer turned to face him, trying to not look as bashful as she felt.

"Um...yeah," she said, trying to keep her voice casual as she stood, buttoning her pants.

"You always leave," he commented. Not in a jealous way, not in a disappointed way, but in the way one might comment on the weather.

She didn't want to look back at him, didn't want to see his eyes. Those eyes would make her stay; they would make her stay when she knew she shouldn't, when it was taking all her willpower to leave right now.

"I have to."

Sheamus chuckled softly in response.

"No...no, you don't."

* * *

Their first time had been unexpected.

The tension between the two of them had been building for weeks, and when it suddenly exploded, the two of them had little will to say no, despite what this would mean for the both of them - and for her boyfriend, her loving and committed boyfriend.

In what would have been the ritual for all of the times they'd been together, Summer left before the sun rose.

* * *

Summer inhaled slightly, closing her eyes as she started to sway to the music around her. The large mirrors in front of her took up the entire wall of the dance room she had managed to find to practice in and she almost reluctantly opened her eyes to glance at her reflection.

She looked thinner than usual, she noticed. There were bags under her eyes that even makeup couldn't cover. She closed her eyes again, willing herself to focus on her dancing, willing herself to forget about his hands on her hips, his mouth on hers, his thick accent curving around the syllables of her name.

Looking down at her arms, she realized goosebumps had formed on them.

Summer experimented with a few twirls, moving about the place as gracefully as she could. After all this time being Fandango's dancer, she still found difficulty with a few things. She tried to imagine Johnny being with her, feeling his hands on her body and how he would help guide her, but that became a problem when she started to imagine paler hands and a larger frame behind her. And when she opened her eyes, she actually saw the ghost of him behind her, smiling impishly down at her as his lips grazed her ear -

Then she blinked and the image of Sheamus was gone, retreating back into the furthest corners of her mind, where she'd like to think light did not reach, but was always mistaken.

* * *

Sheamus' kisses were always hard, always able to steal her breath as if he needed it to live.

He was gentle, but didn't treat her as if she would shatter beneath his fingers. Every time they were together, it was almost like he was enraptured by her, as if he couldn't get enough of her. Like she was something vital for his survival.

And, as this continued, he became that for her.

* * *

"Are you feeling alright, Summer?"

"Yes, I'm fine!"

"You sure?"

"Yes, Johnny, I'm alright."

But when she kissed him in reassurance, it was not so.

* * *

Summer found herself at his door that evening, and as soon as he opened it, she leapt at him, unconcerned about who might see. Her thin arms looped around his strong neck and he pulled her up into his arms as she pressed a heady kiss to his mouth.

He kissed her back, long and lingering and as if she were the only one he ever thought about. A spike of guilt hit her then as Sheamus turned and kicked the door closed behind them.

She felt better and yet worse as they tumbled onto the couch, unable to even make it to the bedroom.

* * *

Sheamus was sleeping while Summer gathered her clothes, haphazardly putting them on while taking discreet glances at him, making sure that he didn't wake and catch her in the act of leaving. He always seemed to do so, and she felt worse and worse each time.

But she had to leave like this. Something about staying the whole night with him...it made it more _real_. That if she were to wake up next to him the next day, that would make it legitimate.

Before she leaves this time, she takes the chance to study him, to gaze upon his face, peaceful in sleep; to go over the hard muscle that made up his arms and torso, both exposed as he slept; the blanket they shared was crumpled around his bare waist maintaining his modesty. One leg was hanging off the edge of the couch.

As she allowed herself this one selfish moment to glance upon him, she found herself smiling.

* * *

When she first met Sheamus, it wasn't really a _meeting_, per se.

He had just gotten done having his match against Johnny and was walking backstage. Summer and Johnny were talking animatedly, having retreated and lost via count out, when Sheamus made his way towards them.

"Good match, fella," he said, giving a jovial smile in Johnny's direction. He had smiled and returned the compliment.

Sheamus had then nodded at her, giving her a softer smile than before, acknowledging her with just her name.

She had responded by saying, "Sheamus," and the feel of his name on her tongue gave her more pleasure than it should have. He had slightly brushed her shoulder as he walked past her, leaving her with only Johnny and a strange feeling of emptiness that she couldn't shake for hours afterward.

* * *

"Mmm," she murmured, "_Sheamus_."

He kissed her neck, backing her up against the wall. She wrapped her legs around his waist and groaned as he moved to kiss her mouth. The kissing continued as he moved the two of them to the bed.

After, she gathered her things and left before he could even ask her to stay.

* * *

They never really talked about the matter of their relationship.

As far as she was concerned, Sheamus thought of their relationship just as sex with a few conversations thrown in for good measure, to keep it from being completely brainless - a casual thing, one without strings that could double as a noose.

But sometimes, when he looked at her like he was right now, Summer felt like - maybe, possibly - they could be something more.

* * *

"What's your favorite color?"

Summer pursed her lips a bit in faux-thought. It was such an innocent question, childlike almost. "I like yellow."

Sheamus grinned at her in response, eyes sparking with some kind of mischief.

She hadn't thought anything more about it until a bouquet of yellow roses were delivered to her hotel room.

* * *

Johnny kissed her lightly on the lips, holding her gently against his body. They swayed back and forth like tall grass in a breeze, graceful, bending together like dance partners do.

"I love you," he whispered against her lips.

"I love you, too, Sh - "

And she cut herself off before she could damn herself completely.

* * *

_"I love you, too, Sh - "_

Summer tossed and turned that night, unable to sleep, unable to even call Sheamus for fear of what she might do, of what she might say.

_"I love you, too, Sh - "_

The words kept repeating in her mind, taunting her with the truth she had no interest in hearing.

_"I love you, too, Sh - "_

* * *

Summer stood in front of Sheamus' door, yet again, except this time it was without the intent to fall into bed with him. It was without any real intent - well, at least, it had been when she had made her way over here in the first place. Now, she was consumed with her thoughts, each one more intense than the last, and her intention became quite clear as she stared at the familiar sight of the door to his place.

She remembered the first time the two of them had an actual conversation. It was a long while ago, it seemed. She had just had a fight with her boyfriend and was crying to herself in the corner of the lobby in the hotel they were staying in. She had been watching people pass, watching the couples hold hands as they walked to their rooms. It had sickened her as well as made her yearn for Johnny - or, anyone, really.

"Summer?" the voice had been concerned and completely invested, despite the shortness of the question.

She had gazed upward and met the eyes of Sheamus, who was looking down at her with a sweetness to his gaze that she normally did not associate with him.

"What's the matter?" he had asked.

The Irishman had been looking at her with such kindness that she couldn't tell him to leave her alone, that she couldn't say, "Nothing," and let that be that. It was impossible to resist, so she had told him everything. He had put a kind hand on her shoulder and said soothing, meaningless words to reassure her, but it had worked.

The rest, she supposed, was history.

So here she was now, months later, standing on his doorstep with that first conversation lingering in her mind. It wasn't the memory of their first time together, wasn't the memory of the last time they were together, but it was something so innocent. A gentlemen comforting a crying girl. Or, as he would put it later, "I couldn't just watch you cry like that. I wanted to restrain myself, but found it impossible."

Summer inhaled deeply, running a hand through her hair as she stared at that door.

_"I love you, too, Sh - "_

Johnny hadn't caught on to it, but she knew what she was going to say. She knew who she was confessing her love for, and it wasn't her boyfriend.

And to think this whole thing had started out so casually. She hadn't meant for it to happen the first time, and then it had happened a second, and a third, and a fourth...

Now, nothing made sense to Summer anymore. Nothing at all.

Well, if she were to be completely, utterly honest, _one _thing did make sense, and he was standing on the other side of that door right now.

Before she had the chance to knock, the door opened and Sheamus was staring at her as if she were the most baffling woman on earth.

"Su - "

"I broke up with Johnny."

This brought the Celtic Warrior up short. His eyes widened and there it was again, that look of unsupressed wonder. "You...what?"

"I broke up with him," she repeated; it felt so weird to say, but it was the truth.

Sheamus still looked thunderstruck. There was a long silence, followed by, "Why?"

Summer looked at her feet, focused on her shoes. Expensive little things. Cost an arm and a leg. Wasn't there something about redirecting your thoughts when you were nervous about telling someone something? She bit her lip.

He was in front of her then, placing his hands on her shoulders. She could feel the heat of them even through the thick jacket she was wearing.

"I know you never asked me to - "

"Because I didn't want to pressure you," he explained. There was an almost quiet frenzy in his voice, as if he were eager to share a secret with her. "I didn't want to make you think you had to choose - "

"I've been noticing lately there was less and less of a choice to be made," she said, her voice quiet and thready, uneven.

Sheamus looked as if she had handed him the world. Summer could hardly form words; they fell thickly from her mouth. She was surprised that she was able to speak at all. He looked at her, his eyes asking an unspoken question, one which she quickly answered with seven words, so simple and yet so complicated.

"I have...fallen in love with you."

So, there it was. The words were out. The stupid, stupid words that she had been thinking over and over the moment she arrived at his doorstep. Summer was about to turn and walk away, or offer him a way out of it, but then she was in his arms. He was holding her as if she were the most valuable thing he owned, with a tight and possessive grip - so unlike Johnny's gentle caresses - and his mouth was on hers before she could even think of saying anything else.

"I love you, too," he murmured against her lips.

And, suddenly, everything felt _right._

* * *

The sun streamed in through the curtains of his room, and Summer opened her eyes slowly.

Sheamus' arms were wrapped around her, as they had been all night. She fit into his embrace almost as if she belonged there, though it sounded cliché to think so.

She found that Sheamus had been gazing softly at her as she slept, a pronounced smile on his face.

"You stayed the night."

"Yes," she replied.

And she planned to spend many, many more.

* * *

_**End.**_


	3. Seeing Things (For the First Time)

_**Author: JinxedBinx**_

* * *

_**A hundred years will never ease  
Hearing things I won't believe **_

_**I saw it with my own two eyes  
All the pain that I can't hide  
And this pain starts in my heart  
And this love tears us apart  
You won't find me bent down on my knees  
Ain't bendin' over backwards baby  
Not to please **_

_**- The Black Crowes, Seeing Things ( For The First Time )**_

"Where are you going?" Curtis asked his brunette girlfriend, Brianna O'Bannion as she wiggled into jeans, slid her feet into the biker boots by the edge of the bed and grabbed her keys.

She didn't answer, instead, she slunk into the bathroom, staring at her reflection in the mirror, then the rock of an engagement ring on her finger.

His arms went around her as he said "I love you, Bria."and his lips found that sweet spot in the bend of her neck. She bit her lip as she thought back to what a friend of hers told her the night before while they'd all been out at some bar the night before. She sighed as she bit her lower lip and muttered back, "Back at you, Joe." again, wanting to say the words, but again, thanks to her having the illusion of love shattered for her at a young age when her parents split up after her father basically ripped out her mother's heart.. The words wouldn't come, they'd never come, not as long as she'd been dating him, actually.

She knew it bothered him and she knew it must hurt, but she just couldn't say them, not until she was damn sure she really meant them.

x.x

_'I'm only saying this because you're like a sister to me, Bria. When you're not around? Curtis is with Aksana a lot. I even saw her leaving his hotel room at 4 in the morning, wearing one of his t shirts, nothing else.'_

_x.x_

Her mind went back also to the whispered conversation between the pair backstage, the way their hands were all over one another carefully, the way Curtis looked at Aksana.. He used to look at her that way, he hadn't in such a very long time.

What made her curious was why did Aksana have to go after Curtis? She had Sheamus, a man many women would kill just to have one damn night with.. Hell, she couldn't lie herself, she'd actually had to fantasize she was with Sheamus a few times lately, when she was with Curtis, just to get herself in the mood to even want to touch him.

Brianna bit her lower lip as she tried to get the nagging doubts that surfaced with his marriage proposal safely out of her head, where they belonged.

After all, maybe the friend who'd enlightened her, Layla El, had mistaken what she'd seen.. Or something.. There had to be a reason, but it begged to question.. If they'd been dating, if they'd been existing platonically for the better part of a decade give or take, then why would he want to make that next step now?

She wasn't an idiot, her father had been a semi professional football player, so she knew about the stress and strain that a life on the road could bring to a couple..

She also knew about the temptations, the other women that the men sometimes met.. Her own father left her mother for a cheerleader on his semi pro team.

That's sort of why she was so skittish about Joe's having asked her to marry him..And naturally, having been told what she had the night before, she was curious, and so she asked him..

"Why, Joe?"

"Why what, Bria?"

"Why do you suddenly wanna get married right now? And why are you in such a rush to do it?" Brianna asked him as she held his gaze in the mirror, searching his eyes long and hard for a sign that her friend was telling the truth.

"Because I love you?"

"And that's it.. We've been together since 10th grade, we went all the way through college, through your being on the road so much, and you wanna do this now? You know how I feel about marriage, because of what happened to my mom and dad.."

Curtis faltered a moment and he bit his lower lip. Something didn't feel right, in fact, her whole attitude since she accepted his public proposal last night, well.. it didn't add up. She wasn't the happy doting fiancee he thought she'd be.

Instead, she was quiet, contemplative, almost afraid, if you really thought about it. And of course, she still couldn't say those three words he was dying to hear, not even now, not even after ten years or better, together.

He now however, especially lately, got the distinct feeling that she was holding something back, hiding something.

He knew, of course, that it was probably his own guilty conscience, but that didn't matter.

He had to get the doubts out of her head before he lost her. He couldn't bare to lose her, even if it meant giving up the lust, the fire and the passion he felt for the lithe, older, sexier and much more sophisticated Lithuanian diva, Aksana.

Brianna was his safety net, she was like a lighthouse in a stormy sea for the Intercontinental Champion, being with her made sense, it fit. She got him, she made him happy, and he could only hope that he could do the same for her.

"What's with you?" he asked as he turned her, sat her on the very edge of the bathroom counter in their shared hotel room.

"Nothing, it's just.." Brianna said as she muttered quietly, "Forget it."

"No, something's bothering you, baby, talk to me.. hey, don't look down.." Curtis said as he tilted her chin up, made her look at him and waited.

"It's nothing, Joe.. Look, I've gotta go.. I need to... I need to think." Brianna said as she gave him a kiss, trying to ignore the way her stomach churned bitterly as she did so, then walked out of the hotel room.

Curtis flopped onto his back, his arms behind his head as his situation hit him full force.. He'd been forced into asking Brianna something that should have been asked long ago, just because if he didn't, then he'd lose her for good because the 'other woman' in all this, Sheamus' girlfriend, Aksana, had gotten it into her head that she was telling Bria about them if he didn't end things with Brianna and be with her.

To top it off, Aksana was pregnant, nobody knew yet, not even Sheamus, really, Curtis suspected, and she was firmly insisting that they belonged together.. That Sheamus and Bria were just their way of 'making do' respectively.

He groaned as the raven haired vixen's words from the night before came back to haunt him yet again. "Fuck my life right now.. What have I done?" he muttered as he raked his hands through his hair, stood to pace the hotel room while lost in thought..

x.x

"_If you were smart, Curtis, you'd stop stringing her along.. You know you're happier with me." _

"_Whoa.. I never said anything about me and you.. Besides, don't you have Sheamus? What's going on there?"_

"_Sheamus.. He bores me.. He's not as exciting as he used to be. If you don't do something, Curtis, I will."_

"_Aksana, don't do this.. Don't mess things up with me and Bria."_

"_It's out of my hands." the raven haired Lithuanian said blithely as she walked away, smirking to herself. One way or another, she'd get what she wanted, just like every other time she wanted something._

x.x

_**I saw it with my own two eyes  
All the pain that I can't hide  
And this pain starts in my heart  
And this love tears us apart  
You won't find me bent down on my knees  
Ain't bendin' over backwards baby  
Not to please **_

_**- Black Crowes, Seeing Things (For The First Time )**_

Sheamus stood in the hotel room he was sharing with his offscreen girlfriend and fellow wrestler, Aksana, watching her as she got ready for some radio interview she had later in the afternoon.

And as he watched her, he kept thinking about what he'd walked in on, what he'd seen with his own two eyes, the night before, while backstage at the arena..

x.x

_The Irishman was exhausted. All that he wanted right now, post match, was to walk into his girlfriend's private backstage area and hold her. _

_Maybe holding her would do what it used to do, and spark something they'd been missing for a few months now.. She barely touched him anymore, and he couldn't exactly claim to be a saint, either, because lately, he'd started to think that maybe they were reaching the end of their relationship.._

_Instead, as he turned the corner, he happened to catch Curtis Axle sneaking into her dressing room, then seconds later, the door opened and a red silk bra hung from the doorway. The Irishman growled to himself, then paced a moment._

_He'd been telling himself that Aksana wasn't as affectionate towards __him __anymore lately, because she was or might be pregnant, which she had no idea he knew, even, he'd been waiting patiently on her to tell him for over two weeks now, but judging by what he'd just seen, the way they (Aksana and Curtis )couldn't keep their hands off of one another, or their lips, and their clothes just didn't seem to come off fast enough, well.._

_It was quite obvious that the Irishman had been completely and totally wrong._

_Something told him to keep what he'd seen to himself for the moment, maybe discuss it privately with her, later._

x.x

Her french manicured nails snapping in front of his face brought him back out of his thoughts and he looked at her, he really looked at her.. The fact that she could hide these two things from him, well, it made the man wonder..

Did she ever really love him? Even a little?

"I asked you, love, what's wrong today? You look a little moody."

"Nothing, Aksana, lass." he lied as he put his arms around her, noticing the wintry chill that seemed to radiate off of her lately, really noticing it as if it were the first time..

She sighed and bit her lip as she turned to face him, giving him a dutiful kiss. She wanted to love him, she really did, but she felt nothing for him lately.

Nothing like the fire she felt in Curtis' arms. Nothing like the heat and the passion in their kisses or the way they couldn't keep their hands off of one another.

But she couldn't just walk away from the 2 years she'd spent with Sheamus, because he was a good man.

Just it seemed like lately, she just didn't want him anymore, he didn't light her fire anymore.. And it'd been through this realization that had lead her to Curtis Axel's arms.

Their first time had been purely by accident, but since then, whenever they were together, it seemed like it felt better every single time they made love.

Sheamus, of course, was an amazing lover, and he was nothing if not one of the best men she'd ever been with, it's just.. he lacked passion and fire.. Or rather, when she was with him, those were the two things that were amiss.

And those were two things that the raven haired diva wasn't prepared to live without.

Their eyes met in the mirror, and she sighed as she turned, putting her arms around his neck as she looked up into his eyes.

Her eyes widened when he stepped back and looked at her for a moment, and she couldn't read his mind, she couldn't tell what he was thinking just by looking into those gorgeous eyes of his like she normally did.

"Ah'm gonna go for a walk, lass." he muttered casually, as he raked his hand through his still sleep mussed ginger hair before sliding on his jacket, grabbing his keycard and giving her a quick peck on the lips that was nothing like the kisses he normally gave her.

He just couldn't, not right now, not with what he'd seen the night before burned so vividly into his brain. Not with knowing that if she were pregnant, the baby was most likely not his, because it seemed like lately, over the course of the past few months, Aksana found more and more excuses to be away from him, as opposed to with him.

x.x

_**I used to dream  
Of better days that never came  
Sorry ain't nothin' to me  
I'm gone and that's the way it must be  
So please I've done my time  
Lovin' you is such a crime  
You won't fine me down on, on my knees  
Won't fine me over backwards baby **_

_**- The Black Crowes, Seeing Things (For The First Time)**_

x.x

Brianna wiped at her eyes as she bit her full lower lip, raked her hand through long and thick, wavy dark brown hair still dampened from a shower she'd had almost immediately after tentatively making love to Curtis.

She'd spent the vast majority of it, imagining it was Sheamus, maybe it was her way of getting revenge for both of them, the wronged parties in this perpetually fucked situation they were all four currently involved in.

Or maybe, it was her subconscious, acting on feelings she'd had for the Irishman about three years ago (before Sheamus and Aksana began dating), triggered when she and Curtis had broken up for a week.

She'd never really gotten Sheamus off of her mind, come to think of it.

And she often found herself wondering, what if she'd actually shown up at his hotel room that night, instead of taking Curtis back?

What if she'd given in to every single overwhelming emotion, and the passion, the lust that Sheamus made her feel when they'd kissed that night, when he'd held her in his arms, her body flush with his as they danced to every slow song that someone played on the ancient jukebox of the hotel bar?

And that's when she began to realize that maybe this situation was just as much her fault as it was Aksana's and Curtis'.

Her eyes caught on the engagement ring on her hand and she rolled her eyes as she took it off, shoved it into her pocket. She didn't want to think about her deteriorating relationship right now, she didn't actually want to think about anything, yet she found herself doing that very thing, her mind going back to that one or two weeks she'd had with the Irishman in question.

And how very different she felt with him, than when she was with Curtis.

She also had to wonder why she'd even said yes to him, why she'd told him she'd marry him when he asked the night before, given what she suspected about him and Aksana?

"What the hell have I done? I don't.. No, I cannot say that. I love him, just not like I thought?" she admitted internally, then bit her lower lip, frowning at her predicament, frowning when of course, her memory of the night she had her own run in with Sheamus came floating to the surface.

Even now, just thinking about it, she could feel his large rough hands all over her small delicate body, she could taste the Guiness on his lips as he kissed her, she could smell the cologne he was wearing that night, she could hear the words he'd told her to start it all that night..

And the confusion at the contrasting feelings she felt with either male had her at her wits end, especially as she sat down on the floor of the elevator and thought about the night in question...

x.x

_She and Curtis just couldn't stop fighting, they needed the time apart. She blinked back the tears as she walked into the hotel bar and slid on a stool._

_The voice spoke up from next to her, almost a whisper, "Yeh deserve better, lass." Sheamus had told her as he looked at her with tender concern._

_He'd seen her around at a few shows, seen her with Axel (or McGillicutty as he was known then) so he knew that she was seeing the man._

_However, it didn't stop his head from turning when she walked into a room. And he'd caught her staring back at him earlier tonight, she'd even given a slight wink in his direction._

_Rumor going around was that she and Axel were broken up right now, and Sheamus found himself considering making a move. Truthfully, he'd followed her into the hotel bar to attempt that very thing._

"_He's not always like that." Brianna said quietly as she found herself getting lost in his eyes. She didn't even realize it until he gave a chuckle, snapped his fingers in front of her face and asked, "Are yeh alright?"_

"_Yes. Wait, no. Ughh, I don't know, it's just.." Brianna said as she bit her lower lip, trying to figure out what to even say to describe what she and Curtis were going through lately._

"_Dance with me?" he asked firmly as she could do nothing but nod and let him pull her off the stool, pull her body close to his._

_It seemed like time froze, like the room and everything in it fell away, and she realized with shocking clarity that she hadn't felt this with Curtis, well, she hadn't ever felt it with him._

_Her knees were weak, her throat was dry, she felt like she was on fire from the inside. _

_They danced every slow dance that night, and when Natalya and Tyson Kidd found her, she was molded to Sheamus, the pair were in a very passionate and heated kissing session._

_He'd given her his hotel room number, but she never showed up, because maybe an hour after she'd left the hotel bar, and went up to her own room, Curtis showed up with flowers and a panda bear stuffed animal, and he'd apologized, they'd talked about everything, and she'd realized just how much she missed him.. Or thought she missed him at least.._

x.x

A throat clearing from above had her looking up, and she bit her lip as she found herself now sharing an elevator with the very man who's face she'd pictured quite a few times since their run in 3 years ago.

Sheamus stood there, studying the brunette female quietly, with mild amusement as she sat on the floor of the elevator, apparently lost in thought.

"Are yeh alright, lass?"

"Not really." Brianna admitted as she looked up a little, licking her lips, standing.

"Me either." he murmured as he asked, "Wot floor?"

"The lobby. I need a drink, nothing like my **silly soda** to put things into perspective for me." Brianna said as Sheamus smiled a little, nodded, his mind turning to the night he'd almost had her for himself.

x.x

_'Yeh deserve better, lass.' he'd stated matter of factly as he slid up next to her at the crowded hotel bar. He knew as soon as he'd gotten close to her like this, he had to have her. He realized that yes, she'd most likely go right back to Curtis Axel, but at least he could have her for himself for one night.. Or he could damn sure try._

"_He's not always like that. It's just.." the brunette bombshell cut him off as she looked at him, licked her full pink lips. He nodded and sipped his Guiness as he stated again, "Excuses. All of et." dismissively._

_She muttered something, and he heard her sniffling a little. Worried that he'd upset her, he decided to turn the conversation to more neutral territory, and slamming back the rest of his Guiness, he turned to her and asked calmly, "Want to dance, lass?" motioning to the floor._

_She bit her lip, staring at him a moment before nodding yes, and letting him pull her off the stool, pull her small curvy and soft fram against him. He held her against him tightly, almost in both a possessive and protective way, and they made their way to the backmost part of the hotel bar, where he looked at her and shook his head, smiling a little._

"_What?"_

"_Yeh are beautiful, lass. Ah don't see how yeh wind up with the likes of him." Sheamus muttered with his lips next to her neck as he stroked her cheek gently._

"_I am not." Brianna said as she leaned against him. When he pulled her in for a kiss, she didn't object, in fact, she kissed back with such a raw passion and energy that he contemplated carrying her right out of the hotel bar, right then and there._

_Instead, he was a gentleman and when her friends came to find her, he slid his room number into her hand, written on a bar napkin._

_When she didn't show up, he'd tried his best to forget their little encounter, and when he'd been hooked a few weeks later by Aksana, he thought he was really and truly finally going to be happy.._

x.x

"So, what's got you out and on the **meander** tonight?" Brianna asked, if nothing more than to ease the heavy tension in the air, distract herself from everything that'd been on her mind previously, before he entered the elevator.

The Irishman shrugged as he raked his hand over his hair and then said "Just thinking, really. Needed a drink. Needed to get away from Aksana."

Brianna bit her lip at the mention of Aksana's name. She didn't want to be the one who was the **back biter** in this situation, she wasn't going to be that girl, the one who informed Sheamus that Aksana, well.. She was screwing around on him, and most likely pregnant.

By the man she'd just stupidly and for unknown reasons why, when she really thought about it, agreed to marry.

Her cell phone vibrated and she growled to herself as she noticed it was Curtis calling. She scowled at the phone, a gesture that didn't go amiss with Sheamus and he asked in concern, "Are yeh alright?"

"Yeah, it's just.. Nothing, forget it." Brianna started, the words threatening to spill out at any second.

She noticed then that somehow, in the smallness of the elevator, they'd migrated mere inches away from one another, and the room felt like a sauna or a hot tub turned up full blast.

She shrugged off her jacket and then said "Is it hot in here to you or?"

Sheamus nodded as he studied her intently. No, he'd never really gotten that one night he'd danced with her, talked to her, kissed her, held her out of his mind.

"It is." he murmured, as he shrugged out of his own jacket, draped it over his shoulder casually. The elevator came to a stop unexpectedly, and he realized that her hand was on the brake.

"Wot did yeh do that for, lass?" he asked in curiousity as she turned to look at him, muttering things to herself, under her breath before she finally cleared her throat and said "I'm leaving Curtis."

_'Ahh. So she caught the two of 'em going at it, almost as naked as a __**jaybird**__ backstage too.' _

He nodded and then thought for a moment as he said quietly, "Aksana.. She's been going behind my back for a while now.. And she's been keeping something from me."

Their eyes met and Brianna sighed as she looked down at her hands and said quietly, "I know. She's been screwing Curtis. I saw them both last night, backstage. And the worst of it, is he asked me to marry him.. And for some stupid reason, I said yes."

"Yeh deserve better, lass."

"And so do you, Sheamus." Brianna admitted, noticing that she didn't automatically jump to her fiancee's defense this time. She sighed as she looked at her hand and muttered, "Guess it's really over now. Whatever we had then is gone. Or maybe I imagined us ever having anything, I mean.."

"What, lass?"

"Nothing, it's nothing, forget it."

"That night, in the bar.." he ventured, as she bit her lip, her back stiffening a little as she kept her gaze down. She couldn't look at him right now, or else he'd see it in her eyes, she feared.

He smirked to himself a little. Her lack of a reaction told him everything he needed to know. He moved closer and clearing his throat he said quietly, "Do you ever wonder what might of happened if you'd come to my room that night?"

He was just curious, he wasn't sure why he asked, or why he added seconds later, "Because I do."

Hearing him say that, Brianna gasped as she said quietly, almost timidly, "I do actually.. But.."

"But what, lass?"

She bit her lower lip and looked at him as she let her hand off of the brake and the elevator roared to life, dinging as it stopped at the hotel's lobby floor.

The two of them got off, walked into the bar together silently, sat down at a back table..

x.x

_He looked at his cell phone as the 4th call of the hour to Brianna's cell went ignored. Biting his lower lip, he groaned as he looked at himself in the mirror. _

"_I need to face it. Things with she and I have been dead for years now, we should have called it quits a long time ago. The only reason we're still hanging on is because we're both too scared to be without each other." he muttered as he splashed cold water from the bathroom sink onto his face._

_He got this sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that she somehow knew about his thing on the side with Aksana. He didn't want to lose her, but he couldn't stomach being with her anymore either so currently, the male was in a bit of a pickle, emotionally._

_And the worst of it was that he wasn't even sure if he really loved Aksana, or if it was just because she was something new, something exciting._

_And what made this even worse, was that apparently, Aksana had taken another EPT, just an hour ago, when Sheamus finally left her hotel room, and it was confirmed. She was pregnant._

_Six false positives would be a little out there, oddswise. She was going to a hospital monday to find out for certain, but somehow, the male just got this feeling that she was pregnant.. And she was pregnant with his child, which was not how he'd pictured his life turning out when he'd began dating Brianna, back in high school._

_His cell phone rang and he heard Aksana's thick accent, heard her sniffling and said quietly, "You can come up. For some reason, Brianna couldn't get out of here fast enough today."_

"_And neither could Sheamus." Aksana said as she sniffled a little and then stood, pacing a moment as she grabbed her clothes, got dressed quickly. Her heart began to race, as it always did when she was going to see Curtis._

_It never really raced for Sheamus._

_Not anymore, at least, not in a long time, it hadn't._

_She found herself standing in front of his hotel room door moments later, and as soon as it opened, he pulled her inside, started to kiss her, his hands starting to wander slowly._

"_We really shouldn't be doing this.." both of them murmured as the door to the hotel room shut after Curtis hung a Do Not Disturb sign on the knob._

x.x

_The slow song started to play about the 3rd shot of tequila that Brianna had taken. Neither she nor Sheamus had spoken, but she hadn't protested when he pulled her off of the barstool she sat on, in front of him, from where he stood behind her, and carried her on his back out onto the floor._

_Again, as it had that night 3 years prior, the room just sort of fell away. She leaned against him and looked up at him, biting her lower lip for a moment._

_If he gave her his room number tonight, she wasn't going to back out. She'd made her mind up about this already. It sickened her that she could even consider doing this behind Curtis' back, but hey.._

_He and Aksana were leaving her not a lot of options._

_Sheamus looked down at her and leaning down, he crashed his lips onto hers as he crushed her against him, his hands roaming down her sides, stopping on her hips._

"_Getting kind of crowded in here."_

"_I noticed." she muttered breathlessly as her arms went up, around his neck, her hand raked through his ginger, spiky hair and he let out a low toned and throaty growl._

"_Let's get outta here." he muttered as she let him lead her out of the hotel bar and back to his hotel room._

_Was it wrong? Yes._

_Were they both hurt by what they knew to be true right now, about their respective partners? You bet._

_But there was something else at play, even now they could sort of sense it, though neither of them actually said._

_It'd been building slowly for over 3 years, if one really looked at them when they interacted backstage, the little that they did, and they really tried to analyze the pair, they'd quickly see that something was bound to happen between them._

_All it would take was that one push._

_He kicked at the hotel room door and picked her up, carrying her into the room, shutting it firmly behind him, as he put a do not disturb sign on the door outside, locked the door firmly behind him._

"_We shouldn't be doing this.. Two wrongs don't ever make anything right." both of them said as they began to kiss one another.._

x.x

After that night, for a short time, Brianna went back to him and Sheamus kept what he knew about Aksana to himself. Neither of them were really sure why they stayed with their respective partners, nor were they sure why they couldn't stop sneaking away to see one another.

It'd been a month or so by this point, and lately, Brianna had just plain gotten tired of hiding her own little affair from Curtis.

Sheamus had also gotten tired of the running around. Little did either of them realize that everything was about to come to light.

Brianna walked into the arena, scanning the crowded backstage area for Sheamus and for Curtis.

She'd just taken a step in Curtis' direction, she'd seen him coming out of catering, but Sheamus spotted her, and pulled her back into a darkened corner, began to assault her lips with his passionately as he muttered, " Ah have missed you. Have I told you I love you?"

"And I've missed you. And back at you, Sheamus." she muttered, the look in his eyes when she couldn't say she loved him, yet again hurting a little. She knew it bothered him, but he wasn't trying to rush her, this was a delicate situation they'd gotten themselves in, after all.

Sheamus looked at her as she again faltered when he openly admitted that he loved her. He was wary, because naturally, Aksana, well.. She'd claimed to love him, but she'd betrayed him, was still betraying him even now.

And Brianna, in the few months they'd been seeing each other behind their significant other's backs.. he'd fallen for her, he thought the feeling was mutual, but when he finally got up the guts to say those three words to her, she'd simply replied with "Back at you, baby." and a passionate kiss.

He found himself wondering why she couldn't just tell him whether she really loved him or not. He'd asked her once, she'd told him about her parents divorce, about all of the times her father cheated on her mother, all of the things her parents did to one another under the guise of 'love.'

But she also told him that she couldn't say it until she was absolutely sure she meant it and that had him up in arms.

He shoved the worry from his mind and they continued to kiss, the kisses growing increasingly urgent, completely oblivious to having anyone see them until it happened..

A gasp came from behind them and Brianna heard Curtis growl as he asked, "What the fuck? Bria?"

"Sheamus?" Aksana asked as she felt her stomach twisting in knots.

The pair stopped kissing and looked at their respective partners and then each other, then back again. The air around the group filled with tension as Brianna tried to think of anything to say currently.

x.x

_**I find it hard to she'd a tear  
You brought it all on yourself my dear  
Wrong, yes I may be  
Don't leave a light on for me  
'Cause I ain't comin' home **_

_**- The Black Crowes, Seeing Things (For The First Time)**_

x.x

"How long has this been going on?" Curtis demanded as Aksana fixed her eyes on Sheamus who still had his arms around Brianna. "How long, Sheamus?"

Brianna smirked as she slid her hand into her pocket and then said calmly, "Here, Joe. This belongs to her, not me."

"Whoa, wait, babe."

Her eyes shot back to Sheamus, who was standing there quietly. She bit her lip nervously, wondering if he were going to say anything, if this had all just been some plan he had to get back at Aksana for betraying him.

Sheamus watched her give the ring back, finally. The very thing he'd been waiting for for over a month now, the moment he'd wanted was finally here.

He saw the fear in her eyes as she looked at him and smirking, he spoke up and said "Aksana, how long this has been going on, its' really none of your business, now is it?"

Brianna breathed in a little as Sheamus began to speak up. She'd been afraid for a moment that her finally letting herself love someone for the first time ever, she realized now that she only thought she loved Joe, she only clung to him because he'd been there for her through some of the worst parts of her life and she felt like she owed him.

It'd taken him cheating on her, ripping out her heart to make her realize that she hadn't really loved him.

It'd taken her a little longer to realize she really loved Sheamus, however.

Curtis moved to attack Sheamus in anger and Brianna, surprising both herself and Sheamus stepped between the two men as she said calmly, "Oh no the hell you don't. I'm not about to let you hurt him. Don't blame him because I figured out what you and that... that thing there, Aksana, were doing behind my back.. Let me ask you something, Joe.."

"Yeah?"

"Have you ever really loved anyone?"

"What do you mean?"

"Think about her, then think about me."

He paused a moment, pondering the question she'd asked. He bit his lip and looked at her, then at Sheamus, growling at Sheamus.

If he really thought about it, at one point in time, he might have loved her.. But lately, he knew for sure that he loved Aksana now. With everything in him, with his entire heart.

He stepped back and then he looked at her, then the ring she was still holding out to him.

He took the ring and then asked, "What about you?"

Brianna took a deep breath.. If she did this, if she finally said those three words, it would only hurt Curtis, they'd been through everything together, it wouldn't be fair to him.. Because she wouldn't be saying them to him.. She'd be saying them to Sheamus.

"Answer me, Bria."

"You don't want me to do that, Joe." Brianna said quietly as she looked from him to Sheamus and bit her lower lip. If she answered him, that not only changed everything between herself and Sheamus, it'd also wind up hurting Curtis, that's the last thing Brianna wanted to do, even though she'd been hurt time and time again since she'd learnt a few months ago that he was seeing Aksana behind her back.

Sheamus didn't realize it, but he was actually standing there holding his breath, waiting on an answer, wondering what her answer would be. He'd just turned to walk away when he heard her take a deep breath and give her answer. He paused in the doorway, stunned to disbelief. Was she finally telling him she loved him?

"Oh yes, Bria, I do."

"Okay, fine. Yes, I have been in love.. I am in love actually. With Sheamus." Brianna said as she turned to Sheamus and bit her lip as she looked up at him, leaning against him cautiously.

Sheamus smiled brightly and Aksana cleared her throat. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. If yeh hadn't done this to me, I never would have figured out we were all wrong for each other."

Aksana nodded and then said quietly, "It wasn't you, it was me."

This left Brianna and Curtis to say their own goodbyes. He looked at her and said quietly, "We should have done this a long time ago."

"I hate it came down to this, Joe and for what it's worth, I'm sorry I couldn't love you. I hope you and Aksana are happy together, I really mean that."

"I think we will be. If the Irishman hurts you, we're still friends, I'll kick his ass."

Brianna laughed and gave Sheamus a smile as she looked back at Curtis and shaking her head she said quietly, "I hope that never has to happen. Something tells me everything's finally right this time."

She walked back over to Sheamus and looked up at him as she asked quietly, "So..."

"Yeah, lass?"

"I meant it.. I'm just sorry it took me so long to say it back."

"It's okay, lass." Sheamus said as he held her close to him, smiled to himself.

x.x

_**'Cause I'm seeing things for the first time  
I'm seeing things for the first time, oh yeah  
I'm seeing things for the first time  
In my life, in my life **_

_**- the black crowes, Seeing Things ( For The First Time )**_

x.x

/FIN\\


	4. One Man's Possession is Another's Passio

_**Author: VixenWithAPoisonPen**_

_**Prompt 2: Character A deals with the struggles of balancing two relationships; one that consists of casual sex with Character B and the other that happens to be a more serious relationship with their current partner.**_

* * *

PROLOGUE:

HER SIDE OF THE STORY

Everything has a beginning, a reason for happening if you will. The way this endless fascination with Sheamus started, for her, was no different, really.

It wasn't just pure and simple boredom, it wasn't just unhappiness that came from being ignored by her own lover, Alberto Del Rio, or the fights they had, it was something deeper.

The man was too cold with her. Sure, he had passion and sure, when they'd started out, it'd been magical. She realized quickly, however, that to him, she was nothing more than a possession, something to be looked at, placed on a shelf again when he was done, or he was bored with her.

After 4 years of it, she was getting a little more than tired of his on again and off again, hot to cold.

She'd always be just a possession to him. Just like his money, the cars, everything that made up the Mexican Millionaire, really.

Maybe that's when she really took a good hard look at her 4 years with him. And maybe that's when she really saw him for what he was, and realized that passion and love, real love, well.. It was something she couldn't and wasn't willing to live without.

HIS SIDE OF THE STORY:

He watched her standing ringside the way one might watch it's prey. At first, it'd been simple curiousity, but lately, with the feud between himself and Alberto Del Rio heating up, it'd turned into something more.

Anyone could look at the lass and tell she wasn't happy, that she was badly neglected, that to Del Rio, she was just another 'toy'.

The diamond gleamed from around her neck, and he wondered if the bastard bought her all the jewelry to make up for the way he treated her, or if he really thought that expensive and nice things equalled love.

For some reason, the Mexican struck him as that type of man, he really did. Perhaps that's what made her damn near impossible to get off his mind.

Their eyes met, and for a split second, before he brogue kicked Alberto Del Rio directly in his over styled thick black hair, he could have sworn he saw a slight smile play upon her full lips.

The match ended and the referee raised his hands in victory, he'd won by pin. As he walked past the full figured Latina, he gave a cocky wink in her direction.

LATER ON THAT NIGHT

"That at the arena, Elena.. What was that about?" Alberto asked her as she reapplied her makeup, got ready to go out to an expensive restaurant he'd picked for the evening, even though truth be told, she honestly hated this kind of stuff.

She knew he did it for appearances at this point, and it really was starting to annoy her to no end.

She wanted it back to the way it'd been before he came to the WWE, back when they were still on the Mexican circuit, when he was too proud to live off of his father's name and money, when they just went and grabbed some chalupas from Taco Bell and sat in the park and ate them, watched the sun sinking lower in the sky.

She wanted the feeling she'd gotten earlier back at the arena, when Sheamus, the man her lover Alberto currently hated more than anything, winked at her.

She wanted to feel alive again.

"I asked you something, Elena." Alberto tried again as he watched her eyes, he knew her mind was a million miles away now, he knew she wasn't happy with something, they had this far away gleam in them again.

She was listening but she wasn't hearing him.

He sighed and rolled his eyes, as he picked up the diamond necklace from the expensive marble counter in their hotel suite's bathroom, and slid it around her neck as he kissed the top of her head and leaned against her from behind.

She looked at him in the mirror and then said quietly, "It was nothing, Alberto." as she tried to get her racing heart back down in her throat. She shouldn't be feeling like this, not about another man at least. She'd wanted this, she'd known how cold he could be when they first started out, and she'd told herself then she could handle it.

Now, however, she wasn't so sure.

Now she found herself frustrated by the situation she was in presently, and lately, she felt like he ignored her more than anything, that she wasn't important to him anymore.

"It better have been nothing, Elena." he said calmly as his hands gripped her waist tightly, his eyes took on an angry cast. She looked at him, her eyes widened in slight fear as she nodded quietly.

"Did you have to do that to him, te amo?" she asked, referring to Alberto's backstage attack on Sheamus earlier in the night. She asked gently, but the question was one that she demanded an answer to.

She'd never seen him behave that way before, she'd never seen him just lash out at someone like that before, even if he was mad enough to spit nails.

And tonight, not only had he went too far with the attack, he'd seemed to be enjoying it to some degree.

"It needed to be done, yes.. Didn't you want this for me, Elena? Did you not want a World Heavyweight Champion for a future husband, te amor?" he asked as his lips found her neck, he bit down into the soft skin lightly, as he looked up at her.

"Not like this, Alberto."

"He's just a peasent."

She looked at him as she muttered something to herself under her breath. Lately, he seemed to think anyone who wasn't the two of them was beneath him somehow, his attitude was also beginning to alarm her.

_'He's just stressed, Elena. It's just stress, this whole thing will end and he'll go back to the Alberto you knew before all this, the man you loved.' _she told herself mentally, as she realized that she seemed to spend about 90 percent of the time lately, telling herself this, and every day, it seemed like the man got colder, darker.

Tonight had really scared her, she'd actually avoided him after he'd attacked Sheamus, and as a result, she'd had a run in with the man himself, just 3 minutes after the attack ended.

She bit her lip as she thought back to their encounter back at the arena.

-Earlier That Night -

_She stormed into catering, grabbed a soda, stood in line looking at the food that she knew she was hungry enough to eat, she just didn't know if she had the appetite to do so, currently._

_From behind her in line, rough large hands made their way to her hips and she felt warm breath on her neck as she heard him say quietly, "Admit et, lass.. Yer tired of bein a life sized doll.. You want a man who's going to take you down and play with you more tan once or twice a bloody year. Ah have seen yeh lookin at me. Saw yeh wincin like hell during that little fight in te hallway too."_

_She didn't turn around, but she did ask in concern, "Sheamus? Shouldn't you be in the medic's office, maybe?"_

"_Saw yeh come in 'ere, had to tell yeh tat, lass." he stated as he turned her around, for a moment, he just looked at her as if he wanted to say something more, but he didn't know if he should, or if it'd piss her off._

_Even as he walked away, the memory of his hands on her skin and his lips so close to her ear remained burned into her mind, and she found herself curious, wondering if he saw the way she was treated, how many others did._

_She sat down at a table, wordlessly, picked at a cheeseburger and scowled to herself. What she was feeling for the man was all wrong. She loved Alberto... Didn't she?_

Alberto watched her from across the table as they sat eating the expensive meal. He cleared his throat, once, twice, maybe three times, and finally, she looked up at him.

"Where is your head at tonight?"

"Nowhere, Alberto, I'm fine."

"Did you not like the Dolce & Gabana thing? The dress?"

"No, I liked it, I just.."

"What?"

"It seems like you don't even touch me anymore, Alberto. And you hardly ever tell me you love me anymore.. Do you still love me?" Elena admitted in a rush as she looked at him, shocked at herself for letting the thought out of her mind.

He looked at her then asked, "Is there something you're not telling me? Is this about that peasant again? Of course I love you, te amor, don't be a silly girl. Maybe you should skip the chocolate cake. Breaks you out." as an attempt to change the subject

Elena glared at him as she shook her head, hurt that he'd even assume that she was messing around on him, after all they've been through.

"The fact that you'd even think that, Alberto.. And I wish you'd stop saying things like skip the cake or suggesting I see your trainer.. If you really loved me.." she trailed off as she sipped her wine, looked out the window, sulking.

Mentally, Del Rio made himself a vow, he'd get the message across to the Irish peasant loudly and clearly on the 1000th episode of Raw, when the man was least expecting it, in three weeks. He'd make sure that Sheamus knew that Elena was his, once and for all.

It wasn't exactly a secret that Sheamus was after Elena, or that he had been for a little while now. He made no secrets as to how much he wanted her, and this was really what kickstarted the situation between himself and Sheamus.

Alberto wasn't going to let anyone take what belonged to him, what he felt was his.

But Sheamus wasn't going to back down, either.

"Take me back to the hotel, Alberto."

He smiled and held out his hand, lead her out to the car and helped her in. He could tell that whatever was bothering her, wasn't going away anytime soon. Perhaps if he fought harder, tried his best to completely decimate the man..

Back at the Hotel

He lie there sleeping, and she tossed and turned, the conversation with Sheamus from earlier, on her brain. Standing, she slid on a silk robe, and then her low rise pale gray satin pajama bottoms. Maybe if she went for a walk around the hotel's indoor garden, she'd finally feel sleepy.

She'd just walked into the garden, and sat down on a bench when she felt a rose slowly travel down the back of her neck as Sheamus hopped over the back of the bench.

He sat there a moment, quietly staring at his hands, not speaking.

"Couldn't sleep, eh lass?" he asked finally,as he looked at her without all the makeup, without all the damn jewelry, her hair actually down now, not halfway up, halfway down.

Elena bit her lower lip, looked around and then said quietly, "No."

"Did yeh think about what ah said, earlier?" he asked, curiously as he leaned in and looked at her, waiting on an answer, his green eyes shining with a jovial mirth almost.

"I can't stop thinking about it.. But this.. It's wrong. I can't.." she murmured as she found herself leaning in as well.

About the time their lips met, his hand found it's way to her long dark and wavy hair, tangling in it as he growled against her lips and then muttered quietly, "Tell me yeh didn't feel somethin then, lass and ah will leave yeh be."

Elena bit her lower lip, but didn't answer.. If she said she hadn't felt something, a spark, okay, who the hell was she kidding, really, an inferno.. She'd be lying, and she didn't like to lie, she wasn't good at lying, actually.

"Ah knew et." he muttered, smirking as he stood, held out his hand to her. She took it, warily as she asked quietly, "Where are we going?"

All he did was shrug as he practically dragged her back towards the hallway his room sat on.

As soon as the door opened, the do not disturb sign came out and locked behind them firmly. He gently shoved her back on the bed, trailing slow kisses down her neck as he caressed her curvy frame with his rough calloused hands and the rose from the garden..

_* USE YOUR IMAGINATION FOR THE REST*_

_1000th episode, Monday Night Raw, 3 weeks later, before the show, backstage._

She glared at him from across the room. She'd overheard him talking to Ricardo earlier, she knew about his plan and she wasn't happy about it. She also knew that she wanted to end things with him tonight, she had to get away, she couldn't stay there, watch the man she once loved more than anything be consumed by darkness and greed.

So she had a plan of her own.

Her cell phone lit up and she looked at it, biting her lower lip when she read the text that Sheamus sent her, texting him back, shoving the phone out of sight quickly.

The text had read, 'It's either him or me, lass.'

She'd texted back, "Sheamus, don't do this to me, not right now, please? I'm really confused right now."

He texted back seconds later, "Well, ah'm not. If yeh don't show up after te match and stay through the night, ah guess I know where yer heart is."

He shut his phone as he sighed. This was killing him. So maybe it hadn't started out with the best of intentions, he'd merely been trying to get into Alberto's head, but somewhere along the past 3 weeks, the Irishman had fallen for the little Latina bombshell.

And now, with his ultimatium, he wasn't sure where they'd stand after tonight. He was impatient and he was afraid, nervous, all in the same time.

Elena read the text as she sighed. She had to make a decision and soon. Her past and the hurt he'd been causing her as of late, all the neglect she'd taken, or Sheamus and all of the passion and fire he ignited in her whenever they were together.

She was snapped out of her thoughts by Alberto's stiff voice as he said gruffly, "We're going to be late for our entrance, te amor." as he stood, held out his hand.

She rolled her eyes when he wasn't looking and fell into place beside him as they walked down the ramp, keeping her eyes trained straight ahead, trying not to give a wink as she passed her lover, Sheamus, who boldly whistled as they passed by, said something to her in Gaelic that he more often than not said to her in the bedroom when they snuck away to be together lately.

The match began and she sat watching, wincing and barely able to control herself as the two men faced off in the ring that night...

_1000th episode, Monday Night Raw, 3 weeks later, end of the match_

They walked backstage, and Elena turned to Alberto as she shook her head in disgust. She'd known he was planning something, some form of revenge, but nothing like she'd just witnessed.

Frankly, it scared her into reality. If she were going to get out of this, if she were going to cut ties to him, it had to be now. Before he got that angry with her.

The fact that he could get that angry scared her beyond fear and she hadn't liked what she'd seen out there.

One look in his eyes revealed that the Alberto she once knew was gone forever. She'd lost him.

And then it hit her.. She didn't care anymore.. What started out for her as casual sex, as an escape, a way to feel the love she wasn't getting from the man who swore to love her..

It'd turned into love.

"What?" he practically snarled as she shook her head and slipped the t shirt she wore of his up, throwing it at him.

"I know you've been sneaking around with him, Elena. Tonight was to teach him and you a lesson." Alberto said quietly, as he looked at her.

"Yeah? Well it worked, Alberto. We're done." she said calmly, a bitter smirk on her face as she tore off the diamond necklace, took out the diamond earrings and shoved them at him, before finally unpinning her long hair from the diamond studded pin.

"These are yours. I want nothing to do with them." she stated grimly as she walked away, ignoring the jeers and howls she got from her top being exposed, the red lacy bra being seen by all as she made her way down the hallway, to the medic's office.

Sheamus sat on the exam table, wondering what she was doing right now. He knew she couldn't come to see him, because of Alberto, he knew that they were just lovers on the side, friends with benefits, so he wasn't expecting her to show up.

The door shutting firmly, locking behind whomever shut it had him looking up. His jaw dropped in shock as he saw her walking towards him slowly, almost like she were in a trance.

Her hair was down, the jewelry was gone, and so was the t shirt she wore with Alberto's design on it. He groaned as he asked, "Wot, lass? Ah figured we'd be over.."

Elena bit her lip and smiling, she shook her head as she slid onto her lap and said "We, Sheamus, are far from over. You were right, te amo.. I want to be more than some man's living doll, a possession. If it's not too late?"


	5. Taking Over Me

_**Author: BreakTheWallsx**_

_**Summary: She was torn between to very different men. One, who she found herself in a serious relationship with. One, who she found herself in bed with every night. When the time comes and she has to choose, who will she pick?**_

* * *

Taking Over Me

* * *

Maryse kissed him goodbye.

But, it wasn't her boyfriend, Mike Mizanin.

The guy she kissed goodbye was the same man she'd been having a little affair with for the past couple of months. It was a habit she was in ever since they hooked up on a drunken night.

It was the Celtic Warrior of the WWE. The former world heavyweight champion. The Ireland native. It was Sheamus, known outside of WWE as Stephen Farelly.

"Why can't you stay a little bit longer?" The Irishman asked. There was a certain pleading tone in his voice that made Maryse almost think twice. "You know you want to be here with me the whole night."

"I have a boyfriend." Maryse replied. That was _it. _She had a boyfriend and she was cheating on him. Mike had been nothing but good to her and this was how she was repaying him. "I need to go."

Stephen thought about it and he realized he would never have Maryse to call his own; except at night. He wanted her to call his own all the time. He realized he needed to end things. "This needs to end."

Maryse looked back at Stephen, her mouth agaped. "Are you serious?" After months of hooking up, he finally decides to call it off with her? The blonde couldn't figure out was with the sudden change of heart. "Why now?"

"You decided who you want to be with."

"What does that mean?" Maryse was clearly confused. "How do you know what my decision is?"

"If you wanted to be with me, you would've already chose me," The Irishman explained. "You've had plenty of opportunities and you choose him. He's the one you go back to."

"Mike's my boyfriend and I love him."

"If you loved him like you say you do, then why are you cheating on him?"

Maryse looked at Stephen and new that he did a have a good point. If she had a boyfriend she loved very much, why was she cheating on him?

* * *

Maryse found herself thinking about Stephen everyday after he called off their hook-ups. Mike would be giving her romantic gestures, but she couldn't accept them because she had a certain Irishman on her mind.

She decided to join Mike on the road, hoping to see Stephen in some way. She was able to see him, but she was always greeted with silence. It was driving her crazy.

While Mike was off fighting, Maryse thought it would be a good time to find the Irishman that took over her thoughts. She didn't have to walk far because Stephen was talking to John Cena at catering. The blonde was going to go over there and crash his party.

"Hey, guys," Maryse said. While John was smiling at the French Canadian, the Irishman she wanted a response from acted like she didn't even exist. That was really bothering her.

"Hey, Ma-" The CeNation leader couldn't finish his greeting because Maryse had already left. John didn't even have no idea that the Irishman he was talking to had anything to do with her disappearance.

* * *

"This is it," Maryse thought to herself. It was the moment of truth. She was going to tell Mike that they were over.

She felt horrible about doing it, but with another man holding onto her heart, she thought it would be a good idea to break it off with a man who deserved much better than she was giving him.

"Mike," Maryse started. "I need to talk to you."

"What's wrong?" The Awesome One asked, concern taking over his voice. "Is everything alright."

"I'm sorry." The blonde felt tears prick her eyes. She knew that she didn't have the heart to tell him it was over. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry about what?"

"I've been cheating on you."

Mike looked at Maryse, shocked. His face froze. His body numb. Maryse watched as her now ex-boyfriend take the news in. He seem to be very numb about the whole situation.

"Mike?"

"Why?" Mike had the hurt tone to his voice. "Why would you cheat on me? Did I do something wrong?"

"Of course not!" Maryse was flabbergasted. How could Mike think that he was a bad boyfriend? "It was a one night stand that turned into many hook-ups. While hooking up with him though, I have developed feelings for him. I think that you deserve much better than me."

"Just answer this question," Mike said. "It's the least you could do."

Maryse nodded. She already knew what the question was going to be.

"Who was the person?"

"It was Stephen."

The most must see WWE superstar nodded. "I should've known. I saw the way he looked at you or the way he light up everytime your name was mentioned. I was just choosing to ignore it."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay, you can't help who you fall for."

Maryse gave Mike a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She felt really horrible about ending things with him, but she knew it was the right thing to do. She didn't want neither of them to be stuck in a relationship that wasn't in the right direction.

* * *

Stephen heard a knock on his motel room door at three in the morning. "Who in the hell is knocking on my door this late at night?" He thought to himself.

He opened his motel door and was shocked by who was on the other side. It was the woman he ended his hook-ups with. "What are you doing here?"

"Can I come in?" Stephen let Maryse in. He was still very curious as to why she was here at three in the morning.

"What are you doing here, Maryse?" Stephen said sleepily, while trying to put on a stern voice. "I thought I ended things?"

"I ended it."

"No, I was the one that ended it."

"I'm not talking about our hook-ups," Maryse said. "I'm talking about I ended things with Mike."

The Irishman raised his eyebrow. He was certainly not expecting what he just heard. He was going to let her explain more."

"I love Mike, I really do, but I don't have the same feelings I have for you. You might not want to hear anymore excuses, but I'm telling the truth. You're all I think about. You took over me. You have my heart and you take over my mind."

Stephen went over to Maryse and gave her the best kiss he ever gave anybody in his entire life. It wasn't the lust filled kisses they have, it was a kiss that was felt more like love.

"I love you."

Those were the words that Maryse has been waiting to hear for the past couple of months. She certainly felt the same.


	6. You're Never Over

_**Author: JorriexLover**_

_**This fic is for xthefirestillburns' Sheamus one shot contest. I chose the first plot and AJ Lee. While AJ is quite frequently used, I hardly ever see fics of them (though I may just be missing them). Since the first time they had a segment, I've shipped them, so it's a real treat to write a one shot about them. Especially since I've never wrote a story with AJ or Sheamus as the main characters. They've been in my stories, just never as the main ones.**_

* * *

_"I'm sorry, Stephen. I'm so sorry..." _

He couldn't believe it. His mind simply would not wrap around the feeble idea that he could not do what he was made to do any longer. Who would have thought that a routine, simple match on Smackdown against Alberto del Rio would cost him his entire career?

That was what Dr. Robbins kept trying to tell him. _"I'm sorry, Stephen, but we can't risk it." _

One day, he had been one of the biggest faces of the company, a man most WWE fans loved and respected. And now, he was a thing of the past.

No longer would he lace up his boots and hang his Celtic cross around his neck. No longer would he go out to the ring and work himself right to the bone. No longer would he hear and feel the amazing zest of the WWE universe.

He was done.

...

Stephen sat alone in the locker room, long after everyone else in the WWE had left to head to their hotel rooms before heading to San Francisco for Smackdown the next morning. Everyone but Stephen, that is. His neck injury had brought his career to a screeching halt and he had just participated in the last RAW of his career. And there was absolutely _nothing_ he could do about it.

He hadn't gotten past that just yet. Though he had a house in Tampa, he was contemplating moving back to Ireland with his family. Yet, there was a small part of him that left him wondering if he should stay. Now, he knew that there would be no more opportunities for him in wrestling, unless it involved announcing or managing, both of which he just wasn't cut out for.

It was unfair. There were guys in the business who didn't care about the business itself, only the fame. Stephen, on the other hand, didn't really care if he got famous or not. He had a pure, true love of wrestling, which was why many legends had called him a very rare gem. They weren't wrong, of course, but Stephen couldn't help but feel that he was letting them down, especially William Regal, one of his best friends.

Sighing, he stood up, deciding that it was best he begin to get ready to go back to the hotel. The following day, he would be catching the first flight to Tampa. After that, he wasn't sure what he would do. His entire life was with the WWE and it was over, over way too soon.

While throwing his wrestling gear into a gym bag, he heard a hesitant knock on the door to the locker room.

"It's open," he called in his thick, Irish accent, settling down on a long bench.

Still throwing things into his bag, he watched the door slowly open and reveal a very small, brunette girl in blue jeans, a T-shirt, and converse tennis shoes.

"Can I come in?" came a quiet, tentative voice from the other side of the room.

Stephen looked up, his eyes meeting hers. He nodded slowly.

She gave him a small smile before walking across the locker room to where he sat with his bag at his feet.

"Hey April," he said, trying to give her a smile.

"Hi Stephen," she replied, smiling back.

Stephen had known April ever since she'd started on NXT. They weren't close, but he'd always liked her. She seemed genuine. Shy, but genuine. Perhaps even a little nerdy, which was something he admired. Most of the divas he knew were materialistic and cared more about their looks than anything else. April was obviously a beautiful woman, but she was a natural pretty instead of a more worked pretty. However, they'd never been this close. Never had either of them ever visited the other in their locker room. This was a bold move and Stephen couldn't help but wonder what she was doing there.

It was silent for a few moments. Stephen was pondering the reasons for April visiting him and April was contemplating the best way to inform him of the rationale behind her staying behind with him.

As if reading his thoughts, April said, "You're probably wondering why I'm here..., right?"

He nodded, a small smile threatening to appear on his grim face.

She continued, "I heard you weren't too happy tonight."

Stephen noticed that April was wearing her thick, black-framed glasses instead of the contacts she usually wore while she was in the ring. He liked the glasses, they made her different.

"You're right," he replied, "Let's just skip me bullshitting the positive side because there is none. AJ, my life's over, is it not?"

She bit her lip and shrugged. "I guess so. You're not married, you don't have a girlfriend, and you can't do the one thing that you're good at anymore."

Stephen was stunned. Subconsciously, he'd expected April to deny his statement and tell him what all was wrong with it. Evidently, he was dead wrong. "But-"

"But what?" April asked, "isn't that what you wanted to hear? I agreed with you one-hundred percent."

He sighed. "Guess so."

"You wanted me to tell you that you're talented, no matter the injury. That you're such a nice, sweet, caring, cute guy that you'll find a woman in no time. That you're life isn't going to hell and that you're gonna catch a break soon...," she trailed off, her eyes, though hidden behind frames, searching to meet his. "Right?" she finished.

"Guess so," he repeated, eyes falling to stare at the floor.

She smiled wanly. "Look, Stephen, I _did _come here to tell you something."

His eyes met hers again. "And just what might that be?"

"That you're not alone," she replied, softly.

Her statement puzzled him. "What do you mean, lass?"

"I _mean_ that if you _ever_, _ever_ need anyone to talk to, don't you dare hesitate to call me. I know what wrestling means to you and I know how hard you worked to get here. I know offering my phone number isn't much, but it's something. I just want you to know that someone cares...," she trailed off, a small smile appearing on her lips. "By the way, your life isn't over. Just because you can't wrestle anymore doesn't mean that you can't be in the business. Not only that, but you _will_ find a woman. All that stuff I said before about you being sweet and caring, I meant it." Her smile grew bigger.

And Stephen blushed. "Thanks, April. Thanks a lot. It means a lot to me, it really does."

The two shared a small glance and they both knew that something important was happening between them. The very flower that had their friendship blooming was now blossoming into something so much more. But for now, they would be friends, something both of them needed desperately.

After a short period of silence, Stephen broke it. "So...Are you hungry?" April nodded, smiling. "I could really go for something Vince would kill us for eating."

Stephen beamed. "Me too, April. Me, too."


	7. Results

So after many months of thinking over which story to choose for the winner, the results are in! I would like to thank **dashinginconverse**, **JinxedBinx**, **VixenWithAPoisonPen**, **BreakTheWallsx**, **JorriexLove**r for entering this contest. Even though there can actually be only one winner, it's really great that all of you guys took part in this because there is just not enough Sheamus in the archive. All of you did such an amazing job. Now, for the winner and runner-ups!

Third place goes to **JorriexLover **for her story, _You're Never Over. _Really loved that you chose another different pairing as many others did. AJ and Sheamus is a couple that I would've never thought to enjoy, but you changed my mind with this wonderful piece of yours. Really loved the fact you based this story off his shoulder injury, as well as playing into the thought of them as a couple. Nice work.

Second place goes to **dashinginconverse** for_ Between Two Lungs_. Great word choice and writing quality. Again, I love the fact you chose a pairing I would've never thought of reading, but you made them work. Summer's point of view was able to pull me in, giving me the ability to sympathize with her character. I'm glad you chose to write from her side of things.

First place and the winner of the Luck of the Irish contest goes to** JinxedBinx** for her tale, _Seeing Things (For the First Time)_. The last prompt had to be a difficult one and you were able to work with the choice of words given. The fact you did this didn't dictate in choosing the winner, but rather you were able to use an OC and give such a lengthy tale without making it feel as if she were just a Mary-Sue. Props to you. I will send you a PM to discuss what type of one-shot you would like me to write.

And to the rest of those who competed in this contest, great job, guys! Hope to see more writing from you all in the future, as I have ideas for another Sheamus contest. May be Winter-based, but who knows? I'll give you more details if I decide to go through with it. This was a cool experience and I'm glad we were able to get a few more Sheamo fics in the archive. Enjoy the upcoming holiday and happy writing!


End file.
